President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday affirmed that the country was in a period of great change.
Addressing the nation during the 2019 Madaraka day celebrations held at Narok stadium in Narok County, the President called on Kenyans to transform the Nation into what our forefathers prayed and fought for.
1. In his speech, the President urged every Kenyan and particularly those in the media and in leadership positions, to shine a light on what is good even as they identify what is holding us back.
2. To foster the effectiveness of The Uwezo, Women, and Youth Enterprise Funds, Uhuru announced that the three Funds will be merged to create The Biashara Kenya Fund as a one-stop shop for affirmative action groups seeking affordable and accessible business loans.
3. The president directed that all Accounting Officers pay and settle all pending payments that do not have Audit Queries, on or before the end of the current Financial Year, 30th June 2019.
4. Further, he directed the National Treasury to secure full compliance of the directive adding that the County Governments needed to follow suit.
5. In line with the country’s policy to promote the local industry and enterprise, “Buy Kenya Build Kenya”, Uhuru directed that all payments for supplies made to National and County Governments be processed and made promptly and on a priority basis.
6. To ensure that plenty is sustainably found within our borders, in line with distinguished Nobel laureate, the late Prof. Wangari Maathai, the president announced that his Administration has dolled out the greening Kenya initiative that will see our tree cover soar to 10% by the year 2022.
He also challenged all Kenyans to plant a tree in their neighborhood and help transform our environment a tree at a time.
7. Regarding the importation of goods by small and medium-size traders, the head of state directd that imported goods, should not be subjected to additional inspection at the Port of entry except for cases legitimately suspected not to conform to the set standards.
8. The president also noted the recent rise in reported cases of suicides and homicides in the Country, particularly femicides.
“As Your President, and as a Husband, a Father and a Grandfather, it pains me to see the distress and anguish in the faces of family members who are left behind by one, who felt that life offered them no other option,” he stated.
He directed the Ministry of Health in consultation with County Governments, Ministries of Education, Labour & Social Protection and Public Service, Youth & Gender Affairs, to formulate an appropriate policy response noting,
“To anyone who is struggling with depression or feelings of hopelessness, I beseech you to reach out, talk, you are not alone”.
9. The president urged the judiciary to deliver justice, with cases being heard and determined expeditiously, money being recovered and culprits to vacate their positions and serve jail terms for the process to come full circle.
10. Uhuru called on Kenyans to continue along the path of the handshake, holding each other close, and promising that we will never again be divided by politics along ethnic or religious lines.
‘We are also divided by the politics of grievance and resentment. We must be bold enough and reclaim the Unity we enjoyed at independence. That is why I initiated the “Building Bridges Initiative” – The Handshake,” Uhuru concluded.
